REVEALED: Fantasy salary cap, top prices, bargain buys

AFL FANTASY Classic coaches will have half-a-million extra in the salary cap in 2026 as the budget rises to $18,300,000.

The rise is to match the real salary cap that list managers and the 18 clubs must work with. Despite the increase, picking your 30 players in Fantasy Classic will still be a challenge.

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Last year's best pick, Bailey Smith (MID, $1,220,000) is the most expensive player in the game after averaging a career-high 116.3 in his first season as a Cat. Smith's value increased the most in the competition last year after heading to GMHBA Stadium as a discounted player. This season you are paying full freight for him, and to add to the big price tag, he has also lost his FWD status and is available as a MID-only.

How it works

Players are priced reflective of their 2025 output. The highest averaging players from last season will cost the most, with players yet-to-debut the cheapest in the game.

Those who played fewer than 10 games attract a discount (three per cent on every game under 10) and is applied to the higher average of the last two seasons. Anyone who missed a full season will receive a 30 per cent discount while two full years out of the game will have a 35 per cent discount applied to their last available average.

The 'magic number' is a figure that is multiplied by the average (minus any discounts) to determine their price. In 2026, this number is 10,490.

Zak Butters (MID, $1,047,000) is a player we can use the magic number and almost see it in its simplicity. If we multiply his 2025 average of 99.85 by 10,490, we get $1,047,426.5 as his price. This is rounded to the nearest $1,000 and therefore coaches will be paying $1,047,000 for the Port Adelaide star in 2026.

Another way of using the 'magic number' is by working out what value payers are 'priced at'. This term is regularly used when discussing AFL Fantasy Classic as it allows us to find players who are 'priced at' under what we think they can achieve.

To do this, we inverse the equation and divide the player's price by the 'magic number' to get the average they are priced at.

For example, Nic Newman (DEF, $753,000) missed all of 2025 and therefore received a 30 per cent price discount. His 2024 average was an impressive 102.6. If you divide his price by the magic number, you'll get 71.8. Will he outperform that? If you think he can, then he might be a value pick.

Top-priced players

From the 37 players priced at over a million dollars this season, we have six defenders, six rucks, two forwards and, unsurprisingly, 23 midfielders.

Following Smith, five other players averaged more than 110 including fellow midfielders Marcus Bontempelli (MID, $1,167,000) and Jordan Dawson (MID, $1,156,000), rucks include Max Gawn (RUCK, $1,188,000) and Tim English (RUCK, $1,162,000) with Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (DEF, $1,163,000) the sole defender.

Harry Sheezel (MID/FWD, $1,145,000) is the highest priced forward off the back of his 109.2 average ahead of Nic Martin (MID/FWD, $1,022,000) who will miss the season with a knee injury. This makes Gryan Miers (FWD, $984,000) the next best available forward at $161,000 cheaper due to his 2025 average of 93.8.

Top 25 priced players in AFL Fantasy Classic

Value picks

Finding value players is the name of the game in AFL Fantasy Classic. These could be under-priced in the eyes of coaches due to their previous season's performance, discounted due to playing fewer than 10 games last season or they're ready for a breakout and will take their scoring to the moon!

Discounted players will be where many coaches will look to start with. Like Nic Newman who received the 30 per cent discount, Elliot Yeo (MID, $667,000) didn't get on the park last season and is priced at 63.6, down from his 90.9 average in 2024.

The Lions have a couple of discounted players. Keidean Coleman (DEF, $559,000) received a 27 per cent discount after playing just one game last season and scoring 73. He is priced at 53.3. Sam Draper (RUCK/FWD, $731,000) could be interesting as a 15 per cent discount was applied to his five-game average of 82, pricing him equivalent to an average of 69.7. He has the handy dual-position status and a chance to be the main man in Brisbane's ruck department.

Some of the value picks may come from those who under-performed last season. Sam Flanders (FWD, $716,000) is hoping midfield time is on the radar and he outperforms his priced-at figure of 68.3, his non-discounted 2025 average from 21 games. This is a long way from the 107.8 he achieved the season prior.

Rookies and bargain-basement players

First-year players are priced depending on where they were taken in the Telstra AFL Draft.

No.1 pick Willem Duursma (MID, $350,000) is the most expensive draftee. Next is second pick Zeke Uwland (DEF/MID, $346,000). The $4,000 difference between draft selections continue to the basement price of $230,000 which is familiar from last season.

The lowest priced players include those from picks 31 onwards, players taken in the pre-season and rookies drafts, and those on club lists who are yet to play a game. Some players who have played at AFL level may be discounted or priced at $230,000.

Coaches may have their eye on Jagga Smith (MID, $230,000) who was taken at pick No.3 in the 2024 draft after a pre-season knee injury that kept him out for his first season. West Coast pre-season supplemental selection signing Deven Robertson (FWD, $232,000) has been discounted close to basement price and could be a popular option if selected in round one.

Stay tuned in the coming days for the full list of players with their positions, prices and more.

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